Presentation by Phil Nicholls of Psydev from Learning Impact 2012. Introducing the LIS standard, looking at its benefits and things to consider when implementing.

1. Learning Information Services
Phil Nicholls
Learning Impact 2012

2. Part One
• Introduction to Learning Information
Services (LIS)
• Conformance
• Links / Q & A

3. Introduction: Me
• “LIS Guy” / Tech Facilitator
• Software Developer since ’95
• Interoperability Standards for most of that
time
• Broke into IMS via Telcert Project in 2004
• Based in Sheffield, UK
• www.linkedin.com/in/philnicholls
• @psydevuk

4. Introduction: LIS
• Final (2.0): April 2012.
• APMG open to members / affiliates.
• LIS is a set of services that allows
software systems to exchange information
about people, courses, groups,
memberships and outcomes.
• LIS specifies how to transfer “live” data as
well as bulk data.

5. Introduction: LIS
• A provider of information is termed a
“reference agent”.
• A consumer of information is termed a
“synchronisation agent”.
• Information moves from a reference agent
to synchronisation agent(s).
• Specifications are WSDL / SOAP based.

6. Typical LIS Scenario

7. Conformance
• The need to make sure that messages
from one vendor system can be consumed
by a different vendor system.
• Challenge: Services vs Data / Packages.
• Challenge: Need to test RAs and SAs.
• Challenge: Data model very “optional”.

8. Conformance
• Vendor community beginning to undergo
conformance testing.
• Help with conformance is free via the LIS
Alliance.
• Issues being tracked via APMG.
• Goal to extract “common” data model.
• Bulk Data conformance testing planned.

9. Part Two
• What LIS Provides
• Thoughts on LIS Deployment
• Links / Q & A

10. What LIS Provides
• Automated, reliable movement of learning
data between different systems.
• Automate use provisioning, enrolment,
grade reporting…
• An end to manual work around scripts.
• Frees IT departments from integrations;
lets them concentrate on adding value.
• Reduces single vendor lock in.

11. What LIS Gives You

12. Thoughts on LIS Deployment
• LIS is enterprise software.
• To reap the full benefits, and reduce
migration risk, you need to engage with
your vendor.
• Do not simply ask “do you support LIS” on
an RFP.

13. Vendor Engagement
Engage vendor on five key questions:
• Will it work with my other systems?
• What extra work must I do?
• What happens if it goes wrong?
• What if it is too expensive?
• Is it future proof?

14. Does it work with my other
systems?
• Beware of “Yes – next question!”
• Check versions.
• Check conformance.
• Beware of pairwise integration statements.
• Psydev can help to LIS enable systems
(legacy or otherwise).

15. What extra work must I do?
• LIS provides 80% of what you need; the
other 20% is in local factors.
• Data semantics.
• Security.
• Hosting environment.
• Psydev can assist with working out what
might be missing.

16. What happens if it goes wrong?
• RISK: Supplier 1 blames Supplier 2 who
blames Supplier 1.
• Diagnosis tools.
• SLAs.
• Psydev have worked with the major
vendors, and we have a range of tools
available to support ‘debugging’.

17. What if it is too expensive?
• LIS is still quite new in its current form.
• Do you need all of LIS, or just the profile?
• Do you need both Reference and
Synchronisation agents?
• Lots of help available from IMS.
• Psydev offer software and consulting to
provide vendors with a head start.

18. Is it future proof?
• Standards do evolve.
• APMG.
• Use common version of LIS if possible.
• Check upgrade path of all systems.
• Backwards compatibility.
• Psydev software handles changes to the
standard.

19. Conclusions
• LIS presents an opportunity to save many
hours of staff effort
• Proprietary-only integrations eliminated
• No more scripts / spreadsheets /
workarounds
• Deployment for your organisation requires
some careful thought
• Plenty of help exists

20. Further Info:
• Psydev: www.psydev.com
• IMS: www.imsglobal.org/lis
• Alliance: www.imsglobal.org/developers/
lisalliance
• Our LIS White Paper:
www.psydev.com/free-resources
twitter: @psydevuk
mailto: pjn@psydev.com